Gustav H
by SteamPunkSnowWhite
Summary: We all know what happened to Gustav H. in "The Grand Budapest Hotel" But, what of him before then? What kind of life had he lived? Family lost? What on earth made him cherish the hotel above all other things in his life?
1. Chapter 1

Ah, the Grand Budapest Hotel, in the peak of it's season. The building was filled wall to wall with rich, important, and sophisticated people. The halls, main lobby, and bar were filled with the sounds of talking, laughter, moving luggage and glasses clinking. There was a light haze of smoke around the hotel from all of the cigarettes. It was not enough to make it hard to breath, but just enough to be smelled by those within the building. It was a beautiful assortment of noises for the young man known as Gustav.

This was his fourth season working as a Lobby Boy in this fine establishment. He was extremely well liked by all of the guests and all of his coworkers as well. He was a bright young man, strong and charming. His eyes were immensely kind and seemed to glimmer with hope and excitement. He was always eager to help everyone in any way he could. He never complained about his duties, nor would he ever. He flattered and pampered every guest who was brought before him, which was of course, all of them at one point or another. He took deep pleasure in making his guests happy and comfortable. Gustav was busy at work, arranging bags upon a luggage cart. He worked fast, but he also worked efficiently. None of the bags were going to fall or be crushed. He was extremely good at his job. He looked up for a brief moment in order to wipe the sweat from his brow with his purple sleeve.

That was when he saw her across the building. It was like the parting of the Red Sea. Everyone seemed to step aside all at once in order for him to gaze upon the stunning beauty who had just entered. The glow of the sun entering from the door behind made her look like an angel. Her bright red hair seemed to burn and blaze like wildfire in the sunlight. It was almost as if a halo was around her lovely head. He could not help but to stare at her from across the hotel. Never in all of his life had he seen a beauty like this. She could not have been older than eighteen. Her eyes were as bright and deep as the tropical forests of the Amazon jungle. He was surprised at how vibrant her eyes were from this distance. Her cheeks were smooth, round, slightly flushed and covered in freckles. Her skin was flawless and looked like smooth porcelain. Her hair was in two braids, one over each of her shoulders. It made her look even younger, he assumed. A woman entered the building and stood beside the young girl.

He recognized the woman as Baroness Margaret VanKampf. She was recently widowed when he saw her last, which was about a year ago now. He had no idea that she was old enough to have a child in their late teens. If he remembered correctly, she herself was only about thirty years old. My goodness, this would mean that she had a child when she was twelve years old. There was no way that was possible. Perhaps this was a younger sister, or a cousin.

He quickly grabbed one of his coworkers, Heinrich, and asked him to assist their guest to her room. Heinrich was a rather mousy man, but a fantastic worker. He had dull, gray eyes that always seemed to be focused and studying his surroundings. He was not an overly muscular man, nor was he scrawny. He was average, with sandy blonde hair that was gelled back smoothly. The amount of product in his hair made it look greasy and slippery in the bright lights around them. He nodded his head before he helped load the luggage cart into the small elevator. Gustav hurried over to Baroness Margaret and smiled as he walked to her with open arms.

"Ah, darling, it has been too long!" He said with a heartfelt laugh before he placed his hands on her shoulders. Her coat felt soft beneath his bare hands. It was obviously very well taken care of and expensive.

"I agree, my dearest Gustav." She said with a small smile. She and Gustav kissed one another's cheeks as if they were old friends who had never been parted.

Margaret was a lovely woman, barely over thirty. She had long, blonde hair that was braided down her back and nearly reached her knees. She was wearing a black, fur coat that made her look three times heavier than she really was, at least. She was beautiful, but noticeably aging. Grey hairs had started to show up in her golden head. There were crows feet in the corners of her sapphire eyes. She had a bright shade of "whore red" lipstick on. At least, that was what Gustav called it. He could tell that she was desperate for attention now that her husband was officially deceased. She had been rather needy on her last few trips while her husband was ill. She never lapsed in her loyalty to her husband. As lonely and miserable as she was, she never accepted the company of a man. He released Margaret then and turned towards the younger girl. He could not hide the excitement from his face as he stood so near to the beautiful vision. He wondered what her name was, how old she was, who she was to Margaret, where she was from, etc. All of these thoughts kept running through his mind as he stared down at her. She looked up at him sheepishly for a few moments before looking down at her hands. She brushed a loose lock of hair back behind her right ear nervously. She had never had anyone stare at her like that before.

"It is not like you to travel with a guest, my dear Margaret. Who is this vision of loveliness that you've brought with you?" He asked charmingly as he took the girls hand and kissed her knuckles very tenderly. His lips were soft and his mustache tickled her skin. She only stared at him with wide, horrified eyes. He realized then that she was wearing absolutely no make up, or jewelry, or even nail varnish. Her beauty was completely and utterly natural. He had never seen a woman who was so naturally beautiful before. It was such a rarity in this world to see a woman who didn't think she had to cover her face in product just to appear beautiful.

"What is your name, sweet girl?" He inquired tenderly, still not releasing her hand. He could feel her begin to tremble as she looked up at Margaret. The expression on her face made it very clear that Gustav was making her extremely uncomfortable. He was not used to this kind of a reaction. Usually, women found him to be very charming and kind. They swooned at his feet, for most men were not as kind or as sincere as himself. He wondered what he had done wrong. He did not want to frighten her away. There was so much that he still needed to know.

"This is my step-daughter, Evangeline. She does not speak and she can not hear, my dearest Gustav. I am afraid your words fall on deaf ears." Margaret said frantically before pulling their hands apart and stepping between them. She seemed to be getting very defensive of this young woman. Gustav smiled to himself. He did not know that Margaret was a mother at all, but it pleased him to see that she obviously loved her step-daughter. He thought that it must be hard to love a child like your own when they are not of your flesh and blood. "Do you think you could assist us to our rooms, Gustav?"

"Rooms? You are not staying together?" Gustav inquired with a small raise of his eyebrows. Perhaps he had judged her motherly instinct too early. What kind of a mother doesn't want to share a room with her child? Perhaps, on this visit, she was seeking the company of a man. In that case, it would be justified. No one would want their child to walk in on them in such a position.

"Heavens, No! She is an adult. She requested to be in a room separate from my own. Besides, we are here for her birthday next week. I want to make her as happy as I possible can on this marvelous week." Margaret said with a sweet tone before she looked down at her daughter, stroking her hair tenderly.

"Ah! A birthday! How many candles shall I need for the cake?" Gustav inquired politely. He was genuinely interested in the age of this beauty, and her name, but he did not want to be over zealous and frighten her further. Nor did he want Margaret to be upset with him.

"Seventeen candles. Thank you, Gustav. You always take the best care of your guests. It's hard to believe that you are only a lobby boy." Margret said with a tender smile as she raised a gloved hand to cup the mans cheek.

"Evangeline and I are going to go check in and get our keys. I shall see you in a bit, with our bags, I trust?"

"Of course, Madame. I will deliver your luggage promptly and delicately. As always." He said before bowing politely. He turned from them, towards their bags, trying his best not to watch them walk away.

Margaret and Evangeline turned and walked towards the Concierge desk to check into their rooms. The young girl, the beautiful Evangeline looked back over her shoulder, at Gustav. He thought that she seemed curious about him, but also frightened by him. He realized then, of course she would be frightened! He had taken her hand and kissed her skin. He spoke quickly and she likely had no idea what he had been saying to her. Margret intervening probably made it look as though he said rude things to her. He frowned slightly and took a deep breath before he grabbed a luggage cart and quickly went to work, stacking the heavy, elegant bags on to the cart. He knew that he would need to find a way to win her over. Perhaps he would write poetry for her. It had to mean something if it was hand written. He was going to get through to her, one way or another.

Margaret stood patiently, waiting to retrieve their room keys and she looked over at Evangeline. She could see the look of unease upon her daughter's face and she let out a small sigh. She did not want her daughter to feel upset in such a beautiful building on the week of her birthday. She knew that Gustav was a little bit overwhelming at first, but she did hope that her daughter would learn to appreciate his kindness and loyalty.

"You should be cautious of that man, Eva." She said sternly. "Men like Gustav only want one thing and they are willing to say anything to get it. I know it was rude of me to interject, but trust me, it will be best if he thinks you can not speak or hear during our stay here. It may be enough to convince him to leave you alone all together." She said with a sad smile before cupping her daughters cheek. "Do you promise not to talk with him?" Evangeline did not say a word, but only nodded as she looked up at her mother. A small smile crossed her lips before she looked down at her feet.

Evangeline did not know why she was so stirred up by this Gustav, but she kind of liked it. She was well aware that her mother did not approve of her talking to gentlemen. If she were to marry, all of her father's estate would go to her and her husband. They would be the new Baron and Baroness of their country. Her mother always did her best to keep Evangeline far away from suitors. Margaret feared that she would have to give up everything she had worked so hard for in her life time.

"Here you go, Eva." Margaret said with a tender smile as she handed her daughter the key to her suite. "Gustav should already have your bags in your room." She said tenderly before kissing her daughter upon the forehead. "I will be right down the hall from you. I don't want to leave you completely abandoned in this large fortress of a hotel." She said sweetly.

"Thank you, mom." Evangeline said with a tender smile. Her voice was barely above a whisper before she looked from her mother. She quickly walked towards the hotel elevator and stepped inside. The young man running the hotel seemed to stare at her with wide brown eyes. She only smiled up at him before holding up six fingers. He nodded with a small smile before he stood up straight and started the elevator. Evangeline could see a small blush across his cheeks, where his beard did not quite cover. His facial hair was not very long, but long enough to look full and neat. She had never had a man react so positively to just seeing her before. Was this the same affect she had on Gustav, and he just reacted differently? She smiled to herself and began to play with one of her braids childishly.

The gentleman opened the door not long after that when they arrived on her floor. She smiled and took out a few coins and placed them in his hand for a tip. He smiled and tipped his hat to her before he stood back against the elevator wall to allow her to exit. She stepped out of the elevator and smiled brightly as she looked at the brightly colored hallway. She read the sign on the wall in front of her and crinkled her nose. She looked down at her room key tag and smiled before turning towards her left, and starting down the hallway.

The sounds of the people talking below her rose up and sounded like a comforting hum. She could not make out anyones voice or any conversations, but she did not mind it. She did not much like to overhear specific conversations anyway. This reminded her of when her father threw parties when she was just a child. She took a deep breath when she finally reached her door. She gently traced her finger tips against the smooth wood before inserting the key into the lock. She twisted and heard a small 'click' before she pushed the door open.

Before she could even see anything, the smell of fresh lilac filled her nostrils. She pushed the door open further and stared at the room with wide eyes. There were flowers everywhere. She hurried over to a vase that held a bouquet that sat upon the small desk beside the couch. She took a deep breath of the flowers and let their scent calm and sooth her. She closed her eyes and tenderly brushed her nose against the petals. She giggled to herself softly before she stood up straight again and looked around her large, extravagant room.

There was a large, queen sized bed, complete with banisters and curtains that were tied to them. She thought that those would be a lovely thing to have. The sun would not wake her up early in the morning. There was a large vanity mirror upon a long dresser and her bags were stacked neatly next to it. It was almost as if someone knew that was where she would put her clothes. There were two larger dressers, one on each side of the bed. They seemed to be freshly varnished and appeared to be made of Oak. There was a large, bay window directly in front of the door to enter this room and she loved it. She hurried over to it and quickly sat down upon the ledge. There was a soft, pink cushion that sat upon the ledge and a couple of light purple pillows as well.

"I do hope that you find everything in this room to be to your liking." A mans voice called from behind her.

She gasped and jumped in surprise. She turned around and grabbed one of the pillows, throwing it towards the voice almost instantly. Gustav caught the pillow and laughed quietly as he flattened it out and walked towards her. He placed the pillow beside her and smiled at her.

"So, you're not completely deaf, are you? If you were, you would not have heard me speak to you." He said with a tender smile before cautiously sitting beside her. "Do you read lips?" He asked quietly, with a tender smile.

This man was absolutely stunning. She had never seen such an attractive man in all of her life, especially not one that spoke to her in such a way. He could not have been much older than herself. He smelled extremely strong and it made her want to cough. She would have, if it would not have appeared to be rude. She only smiled at him and nodded to answer his question.

"Ah, wonderful. I shall speak slowly, so I do not lose you in my words." He said slowly before he began to recite beautiful, thoughtful, intelligent poetry. She could not believe the amount of effort that was put in to this poem. She could not tell if he wrote it or if he was simply reciting it. In all honesty, she did not really care. The fact that he knew it by heart made it obvious that he had spent a great deal of time to memorize this beautiful speech, word for word. There was never a gap in his words, nor was there a lapse in focus. He knew absolutely all of it flawlessly.

She could feel the bright blush crossing her cheeks and she bit her lower lip slightly. She wanted to interject, to explain that she was not actually deaf, but thought against it. Her mother would be furious with her if she deliberately disobeyed her. As it was, Margret would be positively mental if she knew that Gustav was in Eva's suite with her, reciting poetry.

He finished after nearly an hour and Eva could not stop herself from smiling like an idiot. She could feel the bright blush that was upon her cheeks, but she could not will it away. He could see that she liked her poetry and he nervously grabbed her hand. She squeezed tenderly and slowly scooted closer to him, as if to ask him to recite more poetry for her.

"Did you enjoy that?" He asked tenderly as he stroked the back of her hand tenderly with his thumb. She nodded her head frantically and squeezed his hand harder. He stared at her hopeful face and tried to figure out what she was trying to ask of him. He smiled with a nervous smile before he stood up and reluctantly released her hand. He did not feel right about being so close to this girl who could not speak or hear. He did not want his employer or her mother to think that he was attempting to take advantage of her. He slowly turned away and ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair and let out a deep sigh.

"I am afraid that I need to be going." He said gently without moving a muscle.

"Please… Do not go…" She said quietly before slowly standing up. He turned around instantly and grabbed her hands tightly, looking her dead in the eye before he began to speak again.

"I knew that you weren't deaf!" He exclaimed excitedly as he looked down at her, feeling quite triumphant. She stared at him, as if she was trying to ask how he knew, without revealing that he was correct. "I was not facing you when I spoke, nor was I facing the door, nor did I speak loudly. There was no way for you to know what I said unless you could hear me!"

"Please, do not tell my mother. She would be so furious if she knew that I was talking to you. She has talked about you for years, Gustav. She fancies you quite a lot, you know. Please, do not let her know that you know that I am not deaf. I do not want to leave yet, nor do I want you in trouble." She explained frantically, biting her lower lip to keep it quivering.

"Hold on for just one god damn moment!" He said loudly as he released her hands. He cupped her cheeks and smiled brightly. "You're voice is like warm, fresh honey. My ears are tingling from the utter delight upon hearing your angelic voice, my delicate flower."

"Oh my… Thank you…" Evangeline said with a tender smile before laughing quietly. She looked up at him again and couldn't stop smiling. What was it about this man that made her feel so at home?

There was a knock on the door then. Evangeline felt her heart sink as she looked up at Gustav. She grabbed his hands more tightly and quickly lead him towards the large wardrobe beside her bed. She opened the door and quickly pushed him inside before she shut the door behind him. She then hurried across the room and opened the door.

"Evangeline, there you are." Margret said tenderly as she looked into the girls room. "Oh, look, they got the flowers like I asked! Lilacs are your favorite, aren't they? I thought so, but I didn't want to ask you and ruin the surprise."

"They are perfect, mother. I absolutely love them, thank you." Eva said with a tender smile before stepping aside and letting her mother walk into the room.

"I have our dinner reservations set for tonight. I want to help you get ready. It will be a formal dinner with some very prestigious and influential people." Margret said tenderly as she walked over to her daughter's bags and began to open them and pulling out layers of fancy dresses.

"Mother, must I go…? I really do not want to have to pretend to be deaf the entire evening."

"What? No, you don't have to do that. Just don't speak around Gustav."

"Why are you so against him, mother? When we first walked in, it didn't seem like you had anything against him. He did seem nice enough." She said quietly.

Margret let out a deep sigh before she stood up and turned around. She faced her daughter but did not say anything to her.

"I can not explain to you why I want you to stay away from him, but, you must. If I find out that you have been speaking with him, at any point during this trip, we are going to go back home immediately. Do you understand me, Evangeline?"

"But-"

"Do you?"

"Yes, mother…" Evangeline said quietly before looking down at the floor. She sighed as she walked back over the window and sat down upon the ledge. She looked out over the mountain tops, towards the sun that was setting in the distance. The sky was beautiful shades of orange, red, purple and blue. She took a deep breath again before closing her eyes tightly.

"I am sorry, Evangeline. I do not want to upset you. I only want to keep you safe, sweet heart. I am responsible for you now and I could not bear for anything bad to happen to you." Margret said quietly before she sat beside her daughter. She grabbed the girls braids and slowly began to unbraid them with tender fingers. "You look beautiful today, Evangeline."

"Thank you." Eva said tenderly before she looked up at her mother and smiled childishly. "I do understand why you need to be this way. I just wish that it did not have to be this way.

"Me too, dear girl. It is only until your eighteenth birthday." Margret said with a small sigh before kissing her daughter upon the forehead tenderly. "Will you please get ready for dinner?"

"Yes mother. What dress should I wear?"

"How about the gold one? You always look so elegant in that one."

"Of course. I will tie my hair back from my face, but not up. It will be lovely and crimped, since it was braided all day."

"That sounds lovely. I will see you in about an hour, down in the dining hall." She said tenderly before she stood up and walked out of her daughters room. As soon as Margret shut the door, Gustav burst out of the wardrobe.

"How the fuck can she talk to you in such a way!?" He demanded angrily as he walked towards the door. Evangeline gasped and stood up, grabbing his arm tightly to stop him.

"Stop it, Gustav! I can't explain this to you. Please, just, let it go." She pleaded quietly before looking up at him with tear filled eyes. "Do not make her any more upset than she already is."

"Why is she so fucking upset?" Gustav demanded angrily before he turned and looked down at her. He stopped instantly upon seeing the tears in her eyes. He took a deep breath and slowly forced himself to calm down. "I will not say anything to her…" He said quietly.

"Promise me, Gustav. Promise me that you will not say a single word to my mother."

"I promise you." He said quietly before smiling and leaning down to press his forehead against hers. "Will you at least tell me why she treats you in such a shameful way?" He inquired gently.

"I can not, not yet. She is very fond of you, Gustav. In time, I feel that she will tell you." She whispered quietly as she looked up at him. "You need to go, before she comes back. I need to get ready for dinner, anyway." She said tenderly.

"I will leave, but can I ask for just one thing before I go?" He whispered quietly. She could feel his breath, hot against her face. This caused her to blush again as she looked at him.

"What is it you want…?" She asked quietly.

"This…" He said gently before he quickly cupped her face and locked his lips on to hers. He groaned in pleasure upon kissing his angel for the first time. Her lips were soft and inviting against his own. She gasped and placed her hands upon his own. Tears slowly slid down her cheeks before she finally placed her hands upon his chest and shoved him away. She glared at him through angry tears before she reached out and slapped him, hard, across the face. The force of impact forced his head to turn. He looked at her and he looked completely confused and bewildered. Evangeline walked to her door and opened it hastily as she glared at him.

"You need to leave now."

"Evangeline-"

"Get the fuck out, Gustav!" She screamed angrily as tears continued to stream down her face. Gustav did not wait to be told a second time. He quickly hurried from her room and down the hall. She shut the door behind him and leaned against it, locking it quickly. Her heart pounded in her chest as she listened to him rapidly walk away.

She shook her head frantically as she hurried back to her clothing. She wiped her eyes and did her best to stop crying as she dressed herself in her finest dress gown. She sat down in front of her mirror and frowned. She rapidly dug through the smallest of her bags and took out a small container of make up. She began to powder her face, trying desperately to hide the fact that she had been crying. Once she was satisfied with her face, she began to put on some jewelry. She wore a pink, pearl necklace and a thin gold chain with a heart-shaped locket. She finished unbraiding her hair and let the locks flow down her shoulders. She did grab her long bangs and tied them back , to keep them out of her face.

Dinner was long and slow. She was positively disgusted by her mothers behavior. She seemed to be flirting with every young man at the table, and several that were not quite as young. She had never seen her mother act like this. Eva knew that Margret missed her ex-husband, but she did not realize that she missed him to this extent.. She had no shame and some of the statements that left her mouth made Evangeline completely horrified. Eva felt embarrassed for her mother at this point. Was this how she planed on seducing Gustav? She noticed that everyone at the table was getting drunker and drunker. She wanted no part in any of this. She quietly excused herself, but no one seemed to notice. The walk back to her hotel room was completely peaceful. She could not hear any noises from the floors below and everything seemed so calm. She smiled to herself as she traced her fingers across the textured walls of the Grand Budapest Hotel. She had not seen Gustav at all through dinner and she found herself wondering where he might be. She wanted to explain why she reacted so negatively earlier. He probably wouldn't want to see her again after she had slapped him. Perhaps that was for the best.

She hurried back to her room and quickly stripped out of her dress clothes. She stood wearing absolutely nothing. She took a deep breath before letting her hair down. This whole trip was already exhausting and it was only the first day. She walked to her bed before she curled up beneath the covers. The sheets were cold against her bare skin and the sensation comforted her.

She was not aware of the horrible fate that was to come this evening. If she knew, she never would have gone to sleep, and she certainly would have remembered to lock her door when she went back to her room. The Grand Budapest Hotel was about to become her worst nightmare and there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop it.


	2. Chapter 2

It was in the dead of night and not a noise could be heard. All guests were safely tucked into their beds for the night. Within their rooms, the sounds of snoring and passion could be heard, but the hallways remained quiet. The large grandfather clock in the lobby rang twelve, echoing through out the entire hotel. It was so loud, that Evangeline could not hear the footsteps that were rapidly approaching her bedroom.

There were three soft, rapid knocks on her door. They were so soft, in fact, that she almost did not even hear them. She groaned and snuggled her head against her pillow. She assumed that it was her mother at the door. She was still mostly asleep and did not much care to answer the door. She slid her arms beneath her pillow and smiled tenderly in her sleep. She loved the feeling of the cool sheets and pillow case against her bare skin. That was when the knocks occurred again, louder this time. She groaned and begrudgingly sat up.

Her hair was an absolute mess. It looked like a bloody rats nest upon her lovely, sleepy face. She looked much younger and absolutely innocent at this moment. She threw back her blankets and grabbed her thick, purple bath robe and slowly drug her feet towards the door. She struggled to get her arms through the sleeves and then fought to tie the sash around her waist. She yawned and grabbed the handle of the door, but did not open it.

The person on the other side knocked yet again, more frantically and louder this time. She groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes with her free hand. Every action she made just screamed of exhaustion. She was almost positive that the intruder was her mother, who was likely too drunk to talk without slurring her words or find her way back to her own hotel room. Actually, Eva was surpassed that she hadn't gone back to some man's hotel room for the night. It really was difficult to respect a parent who did not even respect herself.

"Who is there" Eva called softy before yawning widely and shivering with cold. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and tried to snuggle her robe closer to her skin.

"My darling Eva, it is me, Gustav. Please, let me in." He said frantically before taking a deep breath. He sounded as though he had been running and she found herself wondering why he was so frantic. Oh god, perhaps it was her mother! Had she done something? Had she hurt someone? Dear god, she did not want to deal with this right now!

"It is midnight, Gustav! Why on earth are you here?" She demanded angrily before she threw the door open and stared up at him. The anger in her eyes was quickly replaced with shock and embarrassment upon seeing him.

He stood, smiling, as if she hadn't yelled at him at all. In his hands, he held the largest bouquet of white roses that she had ever seen in all her life. It had to have been at least four dozen flowers. She only stared at him in surprise. Her mouth hung agape and she could not think of what to say to him. The scent of the flowers wafted over to her and she closed her eyes. A small smile crossed her lips as she enjoyed the smell.

"I wanted to apologize, for kissing you without permission earlier. It was not right of me and I do apologize from the bottom of my heart. Please, accept these flowers and find it in your heart to forgive me." He said politely before holding the flowers out to her. She smiled and quickly pulled them to her. She sniffed them and smiled brightly. They smelled heavenly and their petals felt soft against her face. She felt like a a child, hugging her flowers to her chest. She giggled at the thought that she must look like a child, smothering her new gift.

"Of course I forgive you, Gustav. It was not right if me to hit you. I should have been more polite about your affections. I was just caught off guard. You know that my mother would never allow us to be together. She won't let me sacrifice my social status for a man." She whispered sadly before she stepped back into her room and laid her roses upon the table. "Please, come in, Gustav." She called quietly. She heard him step into the room and shut the door behind himself. There was so much that she wanted to explain to him, but she knew that she could not. He would not understand and it would only urge him to start an argument with her mother. The last thing she wanted was to go home because she was unable to keep her mouth shut.

"I need to be going to bed soon, my dearest Evangeline. Do you wish to speak with me?" He asked politely. He stood upright in front of the door. He looked so stiff and unfriendly.

"Not exactly." She said sweetly before she turned around and walked back to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her lips on to his forcefully. She ran her fingers through his short hair before kissing him even harder. Gustav did not hesitate for even a moment before he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her more closely. They stood there for a period of time that neither of them could comprehend. They were both completely lost within their romantic experience. Gustav could not believe how sweet her kisses were. She tasted like candy and her lips were as soft as rose petals. Eva kept giggling as Gustav's mustache tickled her upper lip. She was surprised at how respectful he was. His hands never travelled south, nor did his lips leave her own. She finally broke the kiss and took a deep breath. She looked up at him and tenderly cupped his face with her gentle hands. She was extremely impressed that he didn't want this to lead to sexual intercourse, not yet, anyway. Most blue-blood men that she had met in her life always wanted nothing more than to just get into her skirts.

"I feel as though I could kiss you all night. I can not explain why I like you so, but I do. I have never felt such a connection to anyone, let alone a man that I just met." She admit sheepishly. He must think her such a foolish child, admitting such feelings after only a few hours.

"Nor have I. I have known hundreds of rich, beautiful, powerful women, but you are the only rose within the desert of my life. I have never been so infatuated by anyone I have ever met." He said with a polite smile as he stroked her hair. Even while she wore only a bath robe, and her hair being a mess, she was lovely.

Before there could be any more exchanges of words, there was a knock at the door. Eva gasped and turned to look at the door. She stared at it in horror as her blood ran cold. Her heart sank in her chest and she felt as though she was going to be sick. She was not expecting anyone and had to assume that it really was her mother this time. She looked back up at Gustav and tears filled her childish eyes.

"Quick, hide in the closet. She can not see you." Eva whispered frantically before she straightened out her robe and her hair. Once Gustav was hidden, she slowly opened her door. What she saw next surprised her.

There was a large, drunk man, standing in her doorway. His eyes were blood shot and he stank of cigarettes and alcohol. He was a heavier man and extremely tall. He had to have been almost seven feet and looked to be mostly muscle. He was wearing a gray, pinstriped suit with his black tie undone. He had short brown hair that was slicked back in a professional manner. His face was cleanly shaven and there was an underlying scent of aftershave upon him. He looked determined, but also quite lost. He had to have been looking for his own room at such an hour.

"May I help you?" Eva asked with a tender smile as she cautiously looked up at the gorilla of a man that stood before her.

"Are you Evangeline VanKampf?" He asked. Eva hardly understood him because his words were so slurred.

"Indeed, I am." She said tenderly. Before she could ask him his name, he pushed passed her, into her room. He locked the door behind himself before he started to remove his clothes. He fumbled and started to hiccup quite unattractively as he stared at her. She felt horribly and completely uncomfortable now. What on earth was going on here?

"What are you doing?" She asked with fear in her voice.

"Your mother sold me your hand in marriage. She said that it was her right, left to her in her husbands will." He said drunkenly as he began to unbutton his dress shirt. His tie, pants and dress coat were already laying upon the floor.

"She can't do that!" Eva cried out frantically as she ran for the door. The hulking man grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her back from the door. He forced her down against the floor and got over her. He smiled down at her and began to kiss her neck. His kisses were coated in saliva and made her feel sick. The smell of alcohol was so strong now that it made her want to vomit non-stop until she was dead.

"You don't understand... I've already paid her..." He muttered against her skin before he roughly bit her neck. She did not know if he meant to bite her that hard, or if it was due to his drunken state, but it hurt and she could feel him break the skin. She cried out in pain as she felt the blood trickle from the new wound in her neck.

"Help me!" She screamed as she began to struggle against him. It did not even remotely go well. He was so much stronger than her. It was more like a kitten trying to fight off a dragon.

It was not even a second later, and the hulking man was pulled off of her. She rolled on to her side and curled into the fetal position upon the floor. She continued screaming loudly and tears streamed down her face. She had never felt so weak in all of her life. She could hear the breaking of glass, furniture, and the smacking of skin against skin. There were loud grunts and other noises of pain that filled the room. She was too horrified to look up and see what was happening in her hotel room.

The room grew quiet then and a few moments later, the door opened and slammed shut. She felt a hot hand against her shoulder and she flinched. She cried out and turned around, to strike at the man who touched her. Her hand was grabbed tenderly and held close.

"Did he harm you, Angel?" Gustav asked with a tender smile. Eva opened her eyes and smiled, but her smile instantly faded upon seeing his face.

His left eye was swelling and turning purple. His nose looked broken and blood was dripping down his face. She quickly sat up and removed her bath robe. She held the fabric beneath his nose and looked at him sadly. She did not seem to care, or even notice that she was naked before him now. He did not seem to notice either.

"Are you alright, Gustav?" She asked sheepishly. She knew that this was a stupid question, but she felt the need to ask. This man was the only one who would have treated her so kindly. He hardly knew her and yet he still put her own safety before his own. He risked his job to defend her. Surely, the drunk man would complain to the management and the owner of the hotel.

"I really look fine. You should see the other guy." He laughed quietly before he placed his hand upon her cheek. He was so glad that she was safe. He saw the blood on her shoulder and frowned to himself. What kind of a barbarian bites a woman like that? What on earth possesses him to think that it is erotic or sensual? Blood in not sexy.

"I am fine. What did you do with him?" She inquired skeptically.

"I beat the ever living shit out of him and left him in the hallway." He said with a small laugh. "Will you be alright tonight?"

"I don't think so, Gustav. Will you stay with me tonight, please?" She asked childishly.

"Oh, my dearest Angel, I would love to, but I can not. The hotel would never allow such a thing, nor would your mother." He said softly before he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly upon the forehead.

"I don't give a fuck about what my mother would allow! She tried to sell me like some cheap, corner whore!" She cried out angrily. She reached forward and grabbed his lapel with both of her hands. She leaned against his chest as she sobbed. She could not stop her tears now. She was so angry and frightened that nothing seemed to make sense. "May I stay with you in your room tonight, Gustav? I do not want to be alone. I could not bear it."

"Watch your mouth! It is un-lady like to speak in such a way." He said quietly before wrapping his arms around herself. "I would likely get in a lot of trouble if anyone knew you were in my room. I am sure that you would be in trouble as well."

"I will not let you get in trouble, Gustav. I will take complete responsibility. If my mother tries to say anything to me about it, I will tell her about this drunk neanderthal who tried to violate me and make me his wife. I will say that you rescued me, which is true, and that I demanded I stay with you tonight because I no longer feel safe in the Grand Budapest. Neither my mother nor your superiors could deny my wishes then, could they?" She rattled off frantically before she looked up at him. "Pretty please, Gustav..?"

"How could I say no to such a pretty request?" He said tenderly before resting his chin upon her head. He slowly stood up, grabbing her by her shoulders and helping her up as well. He pulled her bloody robe from his nose and sighed. "I am afraid I've ruined this. I'm terribly sorry."

"Don't worry, Gustav." She said with a tender smile before standing up and walking over to her luggage trunks. It was then that Gustav noticed her back. It was hard to see in the darkness, using the moon as his only source of light, but it looked as though she had scarring across her back. Why on earth would a lovely young lady have such scars? A woman of such a high social status would never of had to work a day in her life. Who had struck her so mercilessly? He felt his blood boil as he thought of Margaret. Did that woman really despise her child so much that she felt the need to abuse her?

Evangeline hummed quietly to herself as she rummaged around her trunks. She pulled out a pink robe that was made of a thin silk. She wrapped it around herself and tied the sash before looking back at Gustav.

"Will you lead the way?" He asked tenderly before she extended her hand to him. He smiled politely and nodded his head. He grabbed her hand before he turned and opened her door. The large, drunk man was still laying upon the floor outside of the room. Gustav frowned down at him before he scooped Evangeline up in his arms and carried her down the hallway like a princess. He was surprised at how little she weighed. He then found himself concerned about her weight. Was Margaret starving her as well as beating her. He had known that woman for four seasons and never once did he peg her for a child abuser.

Gustav took the back staircases and avoided main hallways. He carried her up four flights of stairs and did not seem to be even slightly winded. She couldn't help but feel completely safe within his arms. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder. She kept trying to flutter her eyes open and focus, but it was hard. She was so tired and sleep was desperately trying to consume her. She had nodded off a few times before Gustav finally set her down. He kept his arm around her, to keep her standing. She whined nervously and rubbed her eyes tiredly before looking up at him. He had lead her to a plain, brown, damaged door. All of the lights in this hallway were flickering on and off and it vaguely smelled of mildew. He pushed his door open and gently lead her inside. She yawned and then coughed as the smell of a mans cologne filled her nose. It was a distasteful smell and she did not much appreciate it.

Upon looking around, she realized that his bedroom was very small, hardly bigger than a broom closet. There was a sink with a mirror above it on the wall. The mirror was shattered, and there were still small pieces of glass shimmering in the ugly green carpet. There was a twin sized bed next to the wall, with a plain, worn, brown, wool blanket upon it. She nervously sat down upon his bed before she looked up at him.

"You really sleep here?" She asked quietly.

"Yes… I do. I know that it isn't anywhere near as extravagant as your own, but it is home." He said with a small, awkward laugh. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously before looking down at her. "You may take my bed, I insist. I will sleep upon the flo-"

"You will do no such thing. We can share the bed, Gustav." She said with a tender smile.

"Are you sure? That would be greatly frowned upon, Angel. What would people think?"

"You ask that as if people are going to know. Did anyone see you carry me here?" She asked sternly.

"Well.. No-"

"No, exactly. Besides, even if they did see us, we have a reasonable explanation, don't we? Do not worry so much, Gustav. Why are you so afraid of being close to me?"

"I'm going to hurt you, Angel." He said hoarsely, under his breath. He sat beside her on the bed and cupped her cheek. His hand was hot and his skin felt rough against her flesh. She looked at him with a befuddled expression, and he could tell. He let out a deep sigh before tenderly kissing her forehead. It was a gentle, lingering kiss. She wondered what brought on this gentle affection. "I am quite sure that your mother has warned you about me. She has told you what kind of a man I really am."

"She told me that you are like all men. Your mind lies in shadow and you desire the darkest parts of human nature. She told me that you would say anything you could in order to get to me. This is why she wished me not to speak with you, Gustav. I don't believe her."

"You should believe her…" He whispered sadly. He sounded almost as if he was going to cry. "I can not lie to you, Angel. I have done horrible things to women, in order to feed my own ambition. I do not deserve your affection or your kisses. I am a terrible-"

"Did you ever have sexual relations with my mother?" She asked suddenly. She looked up at him with a blank expression on her face. She looked like a porcelain doll. Her eyes showed no emotions and there were no small tells in her features. No twitches or small shifts. She was absolutely serious and not at all frightened, angry or repulsed. She seemed legitimately curious about the answer to this question.

"No. She was still quite heart broken about your father when I last saw her. Before that, I know she was loyal to her husband. I never attempted anything with your mother, nor will I ever attempt anything with her. She is not the kind of woman I am after. Though, I fear, she is after me."

"She is after you. I heard her talking about you with one of our serving maids back home. Gustav, do not let your guard down around my mother. As long as she is not on your list of conquests…" She whispered quietly before gently wrapping her arms around his neck. "I do not care what your history looks like… If you are able to stop, if you're willing to stop… I will stay with you."

"But… You can't…"

"I said that my father said I would be to lose everything if I married beneath my social class. I do not want anything that he has left for me. It can be divided between the rest of our family for all I care."

"Then… Why is your mother so persistent about keeping you away from all possible suitors? If you don't care."

"I…" She sighed before shaking her head and removing her arms from him. "I can not tell you that. It is not my place to explain my mothers actions. You must ask her about it yourself." She added quietly before tenderly kissing him upon his nose.

Just then, the large clock from the lobby could be heard. The clock struck one and they both knew that it was time to sleep. She laid down upon his bed, stiff as a board and faced the wall. She crinkled her nose and tried desperately to keep from sneezing. Even the pillow smelled like this horrid cologne of his. He slowly laid down behind her and slid his arms around her waist. He kissed her shoulders tenderly as he pressed himself against her.

She found it strange and exciting. She was not afraid of him, but she felt like she should be. She could not explain the feelings within her head or her heart. It was as if all of the events of her lifetime were leading to this one moment with this one man. Was this what love felt like? No. Of course not! That would be positively absurd. She had only just met this man. Not only that, but he was only a Lobby Boy at a hotel. What kind of a future could a man like that have? Not a successful one. That is for certain. Still, sleeping beside him did have an alluring quality. Perhaps it was only that he had saved her earlier in the evening. She would reevaluate her feelings after a good night sleep. Maybe in the morning, he would not seem like a hero or a knight in shining armor.

There was a loud pounding upon the door and Margaret woke with a start. She sat up and groaned. It felt as though someone had repeatedly smashed her head against the wall, or perhaps with a sledge hammer. She placed a hand upon her head and it seemed to throb against her hand. She could not remember the last time that she felt a hangover so excruciating. She looked around her hotel room, which was virtually destroyed, at this point. There were broken wine bottles all over the floor. Wine stains covered the walls and the carpet. What used to be beautiful, purple carpeting, now as a deep shade of red. It looked as though someone had been murdered in this hotel room. She sat up and yawned before stretching. She was still wearing her formal gown from the night before. She had removed her corset from beneath it. For the life of her, she didn't remember doing it, nor could she figure out how it could be done.

"Hm… My drunken state never ceases to surprise me." She said with a small laugh. She stopped almost instantly as her head began to throb even harder.

The knock at the door came again, much harder now. The door rattled and looked like it might burst open at any moment. The loud, repetitive noise was starting to get on her nerves. As if her hang over was not bad enough. Who on earth was the idiot here to wake her up so early? There was no light coming into her room, so she assumed it was before dawn. If she had actually been observant, she would have realized that her curtains were drawn and that the sun could not enter her room. She stood up and wrapped a maroon robe around herself hastily. She walked across the room, tip-toeing around the broken glass that littered the carpet.

She threw the door open and nearly screamed at the sight. It was Count Erik Amelott. Both of his eyes were blackened and swelling. His lip looked like it had been stitched shut and over all he just looked like shit. He looked like someone had taken a chair and beat him with it until it shattered, and then they beat him with the pieces of the chair.

"My god, Erik! What in the world happened to you last night? I am starting to think that you drank even more than I did." Margaret said with a polite laugh. She was trying to be kind a respectful, despite her splitting headache.

"You set me up, you damn bitch!" Erik huffed angrily as he glared down at her. One of his eyes, the left eye, was completely red. It looked as though a blood vessel had burst.

"I beg your pardon!" Margret exclaimed. She had never been more insulted in all her life. No one had ever referred to her as such a thing, not to her face, anyway. She and Erik had been such close friends the night before. She remembered a lot of drinking and laughing with this gentleman. What on earth happened to destroy his face, and make him upset with her.

"You told me that I could have your daughters hand in marriage. You sold her to me, damn it!" He shouted angrily as he pushed his way into her room. "I went to her room last night."

Before he continued, Margret felt her heart sink. She remembered absolutely none of this, but she didn't doubt it. Evangeline was going to be furious with her, if she would even speak with her mother now. Margret had never felt so ashamed in all her life. She then found herself in a panic. If Erik looked like this. Dear god, what did Evangeline look like?

"I am sorry, Erik. I had no right to do that. I was drunk and you shouldn't have listened to me. I will gladly give you all of your money back, and some extra for your suffering." She said with a nervous smile. "You did not hurt her, did you…?" She asked timidly.

"I hardly touched her!" He scoffed angrily as he glared at her. "Her damn body guard didn't let me get-"

"Body guard?" She questioned curiously. "You mean to tell me that she had a man. In her room." She said before taking a deep breath. She found herself angry with Evangeline, even though she knew that she shouldn't be. If it wasn't for that man in her room, terrible things would have happened to her.

"Yeah, the damn lobby boy."

"Gustav H. was in her bedroom!" She wailed. She felt her heart shattering in her chest. The man she pined for was chasing after her adolescent daughter. She fled from her bedroom and down the hall. She did not stop running until she reached her daughter's bedroom. It was not locked when she arrived. She slowly pushed the door open and covered her mouth to keep from screaming.

There were blood stains on the carpet and the walls. Likely from the fight that happened in here last night. The coffee table was shattered and in pieces upon the floor. All of the vases of flowers were broken and spilled all over the ground. The room smelled damp and musky. There was no sign that Evangeline had been in her room for at least a few hours. Margret walked over to the bed and gently placed her hands upon the blankets. They were as cold as ice. She had not been in her bed for a long time. Where on earth was Evangeline?

She left the room and latched the door behind herself before she started walking down the hall. She stopped and leaned against the railing and looked down at the main lobby. She bit her lower lip nervously as she scanned the area below herself. That was when she saw Gustav. He had bandages over his nose and both of his eyes seemed to be black. She hurried towards the elevator and went down to the lobby. She walked briskly towards him and grabbed his arm tightly. Gustav turned to face her. He had a bright smile upon his face until he realized who had grabbed him. He frowned deeply and pulled his arm from her, straightening his sleeve.

"Gustav. What happened last night?" Margret asked with a sheepish smile. "I am afraid that I don't remember a whole lot of what happened."

"What happened, my dear Margret, is that you were a horrible parent and guardian. You sold your daughters hand in marriage to a drunk man who very nearly raped her. If it weren't for my guilt, I would not have been in her room at all. She thought it was you knocking on the door, so, she hid me in her closet." He explained bitterly. His voice was like poison in her ears. This encounter was breaking her heart and she couldn't help it. She hated that Gustav thought so little of her.

"I am sorry, Gustav. Thank you, so much, for saving my daughter." She said quietly before lowering her head. "Do you know where she is?"

"She is in the Arabian Bath room." He said sternly. "She is trying to wash off the blood and fear from last night."

"Thank you, Gustav. I must go and talk to her."

"I would advise against it, Duchess Margaret."

"Oh? And why is that, my dearest Gustav?"

"Well, it is because she hates you. She thinks you are the devil and simply thee worst kind of human being. You told her to stay away from me, the man who ended up saving her. You also told her that it is disgraceful to marry beneath her social class. If I recall correctly, my dear, your husband did just that. She keeps hinting that this rule is in her fathers Will, but why would it be? He married a servant girl and let her raise his child, did he not? Why would he prevent his daughter from loving who she wants? Just a thought." He said casually before he turned and walked away from her.

Margret was shaking with anger now, but she knew that he was right. He was always too smart to be just a lobby boy. She hoped that he had not told Evangeline of his discovery. No. Of course he hadn't. He wouldn't be able to prove it and Evangeline would always trust her mother more than anyone else. He was fighting a losing battle, or at least, he would have been, if Margret had not shown her guilt. Margret prayed that Evangeline would not ask to see the will. If Evangeline wanted to see the will, Margret's world would shatter and scatter like dust in the wind. She could not let that happen.


End file.
